Guide:How to make a Xeno Species
Notes Making your own Xenos can be tricky. A good thing to keep in mind is to use humanity as a point of comparison. There are many Xenos in the galaxy and they have numerous attributes. Thus it is best to treat humanity as the standard for comparison. Also, many people will be tempted to create Super Xenos. Though there are no rules against it so long as user respect canon, this is a bad practice as there is such a thing as too strong or too perfect. Having strong Xenos is fine, but make sure to keep it within reason. A good way of "toning back" a very strong xenos race is adding hinderances and using high point costs. Make loopholes other races can exploit. This helps level the playing field a bit. As a starting point for making your Xenos, you should ask yourself two questions. Are my Xenos going to be a minor or major faction, and what role do I want them to have. Simply put you should figure out how they fit into the galaxy. They could be a sinister new threat or an altruistic race trying to correct the injustices of the galaxy. Of course they could just be trying to survive in a hostile galaxy, the choice is yours. After that determine the level of impact you want your Xenos to have on the rest of the galaxy. Anatomy An important part of your Xeno species is going to be their bodies. What are their physical traits? What do they Look like? these are things that you are going to have to figure out. This is also where you figure out your Species' attributes. For instance, are they strong, fast, or smart, these must be taken into account. If you really want to get detailed you can describe their anatomy in detail, decribing organs and their functions. Life is a diverse thing even on earth, and the galaxy can only be more so. Be creative, and if you need inspiration it might help to look at the anatomy of real world animals. Unique Traits An important part of you species is going to be unique traits that they possess. For instance the Kroot's ability to assimilate genetic traits by ingesting other lifeforms, or the the psychic energy field given off by all Orks subconsciously. These kinds of things can define your race, even being incorperated into their culture, technology and the way they fight. Psykers An important thing to keep in mind is your species relation to the Warp. The Warp plays a big part in the 40k galaxy and where your race stands in relation to it is important. Are your race psychically dull like the Tau, or do they have a strong connection to the Warp like the Eldar? Keep in mind that simply because a race has a greater affinity to the Warp than another race does not mean that individual Psykers cannot compete. Also where do Psykers stand in your species' society? Are they treated with fear and mistrust like in the Imperium, or are they revered and treated with respect like the Eldar. All of these questions are important. Technology The next thing to consider is the level of scientific advancment that your Xenos possess. They could be very advanced like the Eldar or Tau. They could also be at a level superior to the Imperium. Perhaps your Xenos use unique technology not employed by other races. Also, do not fret about making your species too advanced. It is perfectly fine to make primitive Xenos. Technology does not necessarily ensure supremacy, the Orks are a testament to that. A good example unique technology of varying degrees of advancement are Resonant Amplification Weapons which are open for any writer to use in a Xenos article provided they have the author's (Cal_XD's) permission first. Reverse Engineering It is important to mention Reverse Engineering as it is a common tool in Sci-Fi, not just 40k. Reverse Engineering is when one takes a piece of technology that is not theirs and studies it so that they can produce it themselves. Reverse Engineering can be a great tool for those that use it correctly in their articles. However Reverse Engineering is often abused, with people ending up with every piece of technology they come across. To start with we need to go over what it takes to reverse engineer a piece of technology. When reverse engineering you are basically taking a piece of technology that you do not understand or know how to produce, analysing each of its components and working backwards to try and discover the development process. That is why it is called reverse engineering. In order to do this you must have two very important things. One, an understanding of the function and mechanics behind the device. This can be very difficult with advanced technology, as it often incorporates advanced science that can't simply be understood by seeing its function. The second, and even more important thing that one needs to reverse engineer something is the understanding and ability to manufacture it. You can understand the principles behind a machine and its function, but still not know how it was made, or you may be lacking the right materials or tools for its construction. For example somebody gets a piece of advanced computing technology and studies it. He comes to the conclusion that it is able to perform so well due to highly advanced and complicated micro-circuitry. Said man might then say "Oh! So that is how it works. I understand completely! I should make something like this for myself, but how the hell do you make Micro-circuitry anyway?" As can clearly be seen in this example the subject understands the basic mechanics of the item in question, but that does not help him since he does not know the method by whcih the technology was produced. Now lets say that same man found out that the Micro-circuitry in question is made using an incredibly advanced and precise laser. He would then say "I see! I just need a laser to make it. Simple enough, but where do I get the laser anyway?" As you can see he has knowledge of how the device works, and knowledge of how it is developed, but despite all of this he does not have the tools and materials needed to make one. This can of problem can be even more pronounced if the civilization that he is part of can't develop the laser yet with their understanding of technology. In summation Reverse engineering is even harder than coming up with the device yourself. please keep that in mind if you intend to use this tool. The second thing that needs to be addressed with Reverse Engineering is the fact that people often use it so that their faction can have the exact same technology that the faction they got it from has. This does not work. The thing about reverse engineering is that the end product is rarely the same as the original device. Often times those who are doing the reverse engineering are not as advanced as the ones who originally produced the technology, so they have to work with the knowledge that they have at their disposal to create the device, which means that the end result is different. This is not the only thing that can change the end result. Another thing that affects it is the materials on hand. For instance a device might be made from a particular alloy that does not exist on the planet in question, or even within the surrounding space. as a result of both limited knowledge and not having the right materials the end device would probably incorperate native technology and materials to compensate, but it would not be the same. The final thing that effects the finished device is the traits of those making the device. depending upon the disposition, traits and the purpose of the person making the device the end result changes. Finally I would like to point out that when two factions from a similar origin meet, it does not ensure that one faction will be able to assimilate the others technology. There are certainly creature with genetic affinity towards certain technology, like the Ork Mek Boyz or the Jokaero, but the rest of the galaxy needs to learn the science and technique behind making tech in order to create it. The most advanced civilizations have been developing their technology for eons, so simply being a part of the race does not mean you understand its technology. Basically don't expect Exodite Eldar to be able to recreate Craftworld tech just because they are the same species. Also just because a species is smart by nature it does not mean that they can instantly understand tech. Military The next thing to think about is your Xenos's military. How is it organized? Are your Xenos a very militant race. What are their warriors like? You should also think about how strong you want your Xenos to be as a race. It is doubtful that your Xenos are going to be a powerful as the Imperium or as widespread as the Orks. That being said you will want to think about how your Xenos should stack up to the armed forces of other races. Standard Issue Weapons While not a critically important issue, standard weaponry is something that bears mentioning. Many people become ingrossed with the equipment of their special Characters. We all want these characters to have cool and unique weapons and armor. However, when making your race thinking about what kind of weapons their rank and file soldiers will have is important. It is perfectly fine if your Xenos use already existing technology like Lasguns or plasma weapon. However, having their own unique standard weapons adds something, giving your race a calling card. After all it would be nice for an Imperial commander to arrive on a raided world and be able to say "Yep it's definatly them. Look at the damage to the bodies". Supahbadmarine's Spark Weaponry and Reverse Gravity Weapons are testament to this idea. However, don't just copy these inspired devices, try to be creative and inventive if you wish to arm your Xenos with unique and highly specialised weapons. Society Your Xenos's society is an important thing to consider. They could be a society ruled by a tyrannical overlord. They could be fractured, gathering in groups of Clans or Tribes. Furthermore take into account their culture. They could be warlike or peaceful. They might have an isolationist policy. Be sure to include what norms these Xenos value. Things such as honor, compassion, ruthlessness or intellectualism could be prized traits within your Xenos's society. Factions Unless your Xenos are truly all of one mind there is room for there to be certain factions within their society. Perhaps there is a group that is not satified with the status quo of your race. Also, warriors could be divided down into their own factions. The warriors of your race might conduct themselves the same way that the Space Marines do. keep these in mind when you make your Xenos. Religion Most Xenos will have some form of Religion. Whether it be the reverence of an aware being akin to the worship of the Emperor (like the Derkallen with the Higher Authority ), beliefs in a pantheon of Gods (not necessarily the Ruinous Powers) or something else entirely (as in the Tau's dogmatic belief in the Greater Good) your Xenos probably has something which they either believe in and/or devote their lives to. Even less intelligent races will hold these beliefs, such as the Orks with Gork 'n' Mork, and highly evolved races, such as the Eldar with their Gods, so it is important that you keep in mind religion when creating your Xenos as religion can be what shapes or defines a race's modus operandi. Relationships How do your Xenos get along with the rest of the galaxy? Do they look at other species as dangerous and untrustworthy like the Imperium does? They could also preach coexistence and unity like the Tau do. Who knows, maybe your Xenos are part of the Tau Empire or are old allies to the Eldar. They might be Friends with the Chaos Space marines due to worshipping Chaos themselves. On a side note, there is no relationship with Necrons or Tyranids that is not hostile, and Orks make unreliable alllies. Perhaps they live an isolationist life seeking to peacefully live without violence, fighting only when their hands have been forced. Conversely your Xenos may be aggressive and make many enemies. One thing is for sure there are alot of people in the Galaxy to make friends or enemies with and your Xenos can't stay uninvolved forever. You should also mention that this race was NOT wiped out during the Imperium's great crusade. Characters Unless your race does not have individuals like the Tyranids, they are probably going to have a few characters. These characters might be paragons who embody the values your race holds dear, or renegades who go against the grain. They might not even be that famous in the galaxy. Most users will tell you that making an overpowered almost godlike Character is tacky and uncool. It is just a way of bragging after all. However it is acceptable to have one or two serious heavy hitters. These characters will be the ones who set the standard for the other heroes of your race. Canon examples include: Abaddon (Chaos), Eldrad Ulthran (Eldar), Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka (Orks), Commander Shadowsun (Tau), Asrubael Vect (Dark Eldar) the Swarmlord (Tyranids) and Dante (Space Marines). While Fanon examples include: Alistair (Chaos) Shas'O Aures (Tau), Kh'err'akh'an (Dark Eldar), and Ariel Ysggad (Eldar). If you make a character who is as mighty as a Primarch, then you should explain exactly why it is that no-one in canon has ever head of him. However it is highly recommended that you don't make a character as powerful as a Primarch for a number of reasons including that it comes awfully close to bragging, that it might be non canon friendly and that a VERY well written explanation and background of said character is required. See Also Here is a list of other well written Xenos article which you should check out before starting a Xenos article. They should give you an idea of how a Xenos article should be formatted and the quality of writing which should be put in to such a venture. *Margos Empire *Derkallen *Mutacrat *Rixari Category:Xenos Category:Xenos Species